A total of 72 trade unions in the health sector have launched an island-wide one-day strike starting 6.30 a.m. today (Feb.01) urging the government to address their issues without delay, the National Movement of the Health Professionals said.

It is understood that the doctors’ unions and the All Ceylon Nurses’ Union have decided not to join the strike action today. The nurses’ union said that this decision was taken since the planned strike action is a conspiracy by the government.

They also mentioned that nevertheless, the authorities were informed regarding their demands and that the relevant authorities requested a period of one month to act on the relevant demands. The union further stated that they will resort to a trade union action if no response is received for their suggestions and demands.

On January 08, the Cabinet of Ministers approved President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal to double the DAT allowance paid to government doctors, raising it from Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 70,000.

Since then, the trade unions representing a wide range of health sector professionals, including radiology and laboratory technicians, pharmacists and drug compounders, midwives, dental surgeons, public health inspectors, and entomology officers launched strikes on multiple occasions in protest of the government’s decision and demanding an allowance increase for all health sector employees.

On January 23, the government decided to temporarily half the payment of DAT allowance for doctors citing insufficient funds. Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena stated that although the necessary arrangements were made for the payment of the said allowance, the Treasury had not provided funds within the approved allocation limit.

This prompted the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) to announce the launch of an indefinite strike action starting January 24. However, the planned trade union action was later called off, after the decision to suspend the DAT allowance payments was rolled back.